Looking Back, Looking Ahead..

In less than an hour, I will be another year older...

Am I bothered?  Nah.  I still have a few good years left, right?  Heck, from what I've been told the best years have yet to come.  Do I miss my youth?  Yes, and no.  Does it bother me when my mom, bless her hairstylin' heart, tells me that I am getting grays?  Well, YEAH!   I was looking closely at my skin the other day.  I have these fancy new contacts made especially for astigmatism and let me tell ya, I could've done without them.  Never feeling very attractive in my youth, I was pleased only by my complexion ~ I never had pimples.  Never.  Okay, maybe one.  But that was what I heard all the time.

"Michelle, your skin is so soft and silky!"

Dang those contacts.  Reminds me of an Aerosmith song...  You know the one. 

Okay, enough self deprecation here...

I really am more than fine with it.  Sure, I joke around with people and pretend to agonize over another year added on, but I truly enjoy getting a bit older and wiser.  I see things SO much more clearly now than I did say, ten or fifteen years ago.  Even when I am down, really down, I understand why.  I know that there are choices, and that I have courage and strength that I didn't have (or didn't yet realize I had) back then.  I feel that I have a lot more respect from my colleagues now than I did when I started 8 years ago.  I know that life is short, and I appreciate it so much more.

So... Looking ahead, I know that there will be ups and downs, as there always are.  What I know now ~ that I didn't know then ~ is that I can embrace those moments.  I can learn from them.  I can grow.  Even older.  And smile all the while. 

I am so thankful for all the gifts in my life.  I plan to remain thankful, take nothing for granted, and smile just a little more often this year. 

A special thank you must be given to my sweet friend, Lisa Jo, who sent me a beautiful birthday card in the mail.  WHAT A NICE, UNEXPECTED SURPRISE!  Thank you, for warming my heart and brightening my day!  I truly am blessed!! 

Wishing you all a week full of smiles and reasons for thankful prayers.